Jewish center finds its home

The future home of the Chabad Jewish Center of San Clemente on N El Camino Real. COURTESY OF RABBI MENDEL SLAVIN

For almost nine years, the Chabad Jewish Center of San Clemente has traveled from place to place for services, High Holy Days and classes for adults and children.

Rabbi Mendel Slavin said all of the accouterments for services, such as the Ark, must be moved into and out of various rented spaces every Saturday, so everything is on wheels.

"We're like a synagogue-to-go," Slavin said. "Jews have traveled throughout our history, but I think it's a good idea to stop traveling here."

With the purchase of a building along North El Camino Real, the dream of a permanent home for the area's Jewish community will be realized. The center will move into its new home in the fall, with a grand opening planned for Aug. 29.

The center will be named for the parents of Lea Elburg: Noach and Rebecca de-Vries Jewish Community Center. Elburg's parents and younger sister, as well as her extended family, died in the Holocaust.

Elburg, 92, came to San Clemente after her husband died. She said she knew no one in the city and felt very alone.

"When I came here, it was a shock to me, there was nothing that I knew," Elburg said. But then she heard about the rabbi. "Little by little, I was sucked into it and little by little more people came."

Slavin said at the first High Holy Days he celebrated in San Clemente, about eight people came to the service. At the most recent one, there were more than 100 people. He said the visibility of a physical presence will allow more people to find the center.

"There's a lot of people that still are surprised when they hear something is here," he said. "Some people have been here 20 years, and they tell me they thought they were the only one here."

Chabad, also known as Chabad-Lubavitch, is a movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of its hallmarks is sending young couples into communities where there seems to be little active Jewish community life.

Slavin, 36, and his wife, Tzippy Slavin, 30, have four children.

Mendel Slavin said much of the couple's success can be attributed to their children.

"They love to be involved," he said. "That's more inspiring than any speech I can give."

Tzippy Slavin grew up in Orange County. Her parents started the first Hebrew school in the county, Hebrew Academy in Huntington Beach. The couple sends their four children to school there.

One of Tzippy's former teachers, who lived in San Clemente, told her mother there were not enough people in the area to support a Chabad house. Although there is an international organization, Chabad centers are supported by the local community.

The future home of the Chabad Jewish Center of San Clemente on N El Camino Real. COURTESY OF RABBI MENDEL SLAVIN
Hebrew school children performing at the Sivlerado senior center. COURTESY OF RABBI MENDEL SLAVIN
Rabbi Mendel and Tzippy Slavin. COURTESY OF RABBI MENDEL SLAVIN

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